Marcus Edwards returns to Tottenham from Norwich loan with Lionel Messi comparisons long since forgotten

There were two days in September 2016 when the excitement about Marcus Edwards, the Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate who has just had his loan spell at Norwich City unceremoniously cut short, began to prove impossible to ignore.

The first was a Tuesday, the day before Tottenham’s EFL Cup tie against Gillingham. At the club’s sparkling Enfield training centre Mauricio Pochettino was in a particularly ebullient mood after a strong start to the new season, and was wondering aloud whether to hand the then 17-year-old his first-team debut. “He is a very good prospect and he can be a top player,” he smiled. “Now it is all about how he builds his future which is important.”

And then the comparison which was to generate the headlines. “His qualities … it’s only looks – his body and the way that he plays – they make me remember a little bit the beginning of Lionel Messi.” It was the kind of soundbite that makes journalists relax back into their seats knowing that their story has just been written for them, and something that Pochettino later admitted he regretted saying.

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In the end Pochettino decided against starting Edwards — Josh Onomah was preferred alongside first-team regulars Christian Eriksen and Érik Lamela — but the diminutive attacking midfielder did come on for the final quarter of an hour, replacing Vincent Janssen. Spurs were already 5-0 up at that point, with many of the families who had taken advantage of the discounted ticket prices beginning to twitch in the direction of the exit.

Those who waited were treated to one final moment of drama. As the game shuffled into injury time, Edwards received the ball out wide on the right, eight Gillingham players stationed in front of him. Twice feigning to cut inside, he swapped passes with Tom Carroll, resuming his run with an exquisitely weighted instep that took him to the edge of the box. With two defenders now closing him down Edwards improvised, subtly shifting his weight and taking three quick touches when he really only had time to take one.

Finally the shot: well struck and seemingly destined for the top corner, until a smart one-handed save from Gillingham’s goalkeeper.

Even with vast swathes of blue plastic chairs visible and the North East corner of the ground gutted in readiness for the diggers to roll in at the end of the season, a warm ripple of appreciation swept around the stadium. It was a 12 second passage of play that hinted at so much more, and neatly encapsulated his fledgling career at that moment in time: joyously talented and undeniably exciting, albeit not quite yet the complete package.

But then things started to go wrong. Not long after his encouraging cameo Edwards badly injured his ankle, requiring surgery which would rule him out for much of the rest of the season. Upon making his return he he was kept waiting for his second appearance for the first-team, eventually deciding to move to Norwich in the January transfer window.

Pochettino — who usually prefers to keep his most talented young players at the club, safely under his wing — consented to the move, describing it as “a great opportunity for him to step up after spending maybe half his life in Tottenham’s academy.”

On the surface Edwards was equally enthusiastic, quickly outlining his ambition to “get involved as soon as I can.” And yet he would make just one appearance, coming on for the last six minutes of the club’s recent 2-0 loss to Fulham. A week and a half later and Norwich manager Daniel Farke confirmed the move had been cut short, commenting after last night’s draw with Sunderland that “personal reasons” were to blame.

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Although he declined to elaborate further, Farke spoke at length about the 19-year-old at the end of January, when he not so subtly questioned the 19-year-old’s mentality. “There is no doubt that with the ball he is one of our best players,” he began, diplomatically. “But without it he has to grow up a bit. That was the reason he didn’t play for Tottenham. He needs to be more grown up in his attitude on the pitch and in his behaviour. We cannot carry him.”

Rather worryingly, this is not the first time questions over Edwards’ attitude have been raised.

“He has authority and behavioural problems,” Pochettino admitted at the beginning of this season, in his ghostwritten book A Brave New World. “There was a time when it would have been seen as impossible for him to play professionally, let alone make it in the Premier League. He has no shortage of talent, but there are gaps to be filled: he has to learn to score ugly, run more and be committed.”

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In Edwards’ defence, this is the first time he has played his football at a club other than Tottenham since the age of eight. And, in hindsight, his move away should perhaps have been managed with greater care. Tottenham’s thinking in sending him to Norwich was obvious — the two clubs share a patient, possession based style of football — but with James Maddison excelling and several other midfield options, there arguably was never a position for him to make his own.

But at what point does it become concerning that such a prodigiously talented player tipped for stardom since he was a child still only has 21 minutes of first-team football under his belt, at the age of 19? After all, to revisit Pochettino’s comparison, Messi was a Barcelona regular with 70 appearances to his name by the time he turned 20.

It remains to be seen how Pochettino will respond to the disappointment of allowing Edwards to spend four months away from the club, to return with just six minutes of first-team football under his belt. More importantly of course will be how Edwards himself chooses to respond to this setback, which will be the most telling indication yet of whether or not he has what it takes to succeed at the highest levels of the game.